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T O P I C R E V I E W

Jeff Turner

I have just found this space and I believe this is the place that will help with this search.

My dad was Tom W. Turner, he was Test and Assembly Manager with McDonnell Aircraft on the Mercury and Gemini projects at the cape.

The family moved to Titusville in Sept. 1960. I have seen every type of manned space vehicle launched, I can watch a shuttle launch from my Florida homes front porch.

Here is what I'm in search of: John Glenn took one hundred one dollar bills with him on his Mercury flight. My dad had the honor of receiving one of these. It is mounted on a hand lithographed certificate stating he serial number and information on the mission. The dollar bill is signed by John Glenn and back up pilot Scott Carpenter.

I have not been able to find any of the other ninety nine people who received one of these.

I have several flown pieces of Mercury and Gemini capsules encased in plastic cubes.

I am also in hope of making contact with some of the kids who dads worked with my dad in those glorious times.

Jeff, welcome to collectSPACE! That flown $1 bill you have is very special. Congratulations on owning it!

I happen to collect flown $2 bills -- and I own one of the $2 bills flown on that flight. Despite press reports at the time that over 200 bills flew, a Congressional investigation prompted an official inventory by NASA of the bills. This investigation lead to an official inventory, which recorded 36 bills, representing $52 to $56 dollars.

The exact serial numbers for these inventoried bills is reprinted in Russ Stills Relics of the Space Race book. Based on the serial numbers, there are no more than 15 flown $2 bills -- so there is most likely only 21 of the flown dollar bills. Therefore, your flown dollar is a lot more rare than you thought...

I have put together a website of my flown $2 bills, and I have a research page with information about the flown bills on the Glenn flight. You can find that section here.

On this section is my flown $2 bill, which has the same certificate and signature types as yours. The page also has the text of the official investigation memo, which I sourced from the Glenn Library, and a video (well worth watching!) of Joe Tramel, who flew my particular bill, and they discuss the flying of the bills on this mission in the middle of the video.

You will see a number of faces there that have these bills. Hope this helps some!

Lou Chinal

Jeff, I also welcome you to collectSPACE.

In all of my reading Rich (rjurek349) is correct. There was a lot less then $100 carried on board 'Friendship 7'. I think the exact amount will never be known. Technicians from both St. Louis and the Cape stashed various items at various locations inside the spacecraft. Remember there were no PPKs then.

You've got a goodie.

Propickers

Jeff, I have in my possession one of the original $2 bills and Certificate of Authenticity that was flown aboard the MA-6 Friendship 7. It bears no less than 24 original signatures including dual signatures from John Glenn and Scott Carpenter.

The bill belonged to "Pete" Thompson who was a member of the launch crew and has a note written on the left border of the bill that states "Belongs to Pete Thompson".

Please get back to me if you have any questions or comments. — Patrick Vaughan

nhhiker

I just saw this forum. My father was on the launch crew. He worked on the wiring in the capsule.

I do have one of the dollar bills that flew in Friendship 7, I also have a tie pin that was given to the launch crew.